Parents could breathe a sigh of relief when they learned planned fee increases at a Kingston, N.S., daycare will no longer go ahead, after additional funding was granted by the province.

On Monday, CBC News reported that families at Stepping Stone Preschool and Child Care were facing significant fee increases. Infant rates, for example, were set to jump to $22 per day from $12 a day. 

On Monday afternoon, families received a letter from the Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Educators — the organization that runs Stepping Stone — stating daily rates will now stay put.

“After further discussions with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), we will be maintaining the current fee structure to support affordability for families,” said the letter.

“We are deeply grateful for the DEECD’s support and for your patience as we worked through this process.”

Jen Boyter was facing an increase of $320 per month to send her two kids to Stepping Stone.

“This was fantastic to hear. It’s great for the parents,” said Boyter. 

Parent Megan Lowe, who first notified CBC of the reversal, said parents in the community are relieved. 

“I’m in tears I’m so happy,” she said in a message.

Government funding

No one from the Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Educators or the Department of Education was available for an interview Tuesday.

Department spokesperson Krista Higdon told CBC in an email that the province will provide additional funding to the college to ensure parent fees will not increase at Stepping Stone.

She could not say how much money the centre will receive, but said the department is able to tap into its operational support fund, which assists licensed child-care operators that demonstrate financial need.

“In this case, the operator identified a projected operational deficit in order to maintain the existing fee structure. Support through the Operational Support Fund is being provided to help address those pressures, maintain affordability for families, and support the continued operation of the program,” wrote Higdon.

The province had previously invested $2.5 million for the daycare to expand its facility. Construction is underway on the property with a new building set to open in the coming months.

Joe Malek, the college’s president and CEO, told CBC on Friday that the rate increases were needed to ensure the organization could break even and help with operating costs, which he said have gone up significantly. Malek said the initial $2.5 million was for capital improvements only.

The college is a not-for-profit organization that provides education to early childhood educators and runs a series of child-care centres across the province.

Boyter said this situation highlights the need for the provincial government to step up and provide more operational funding to other centres to keep its promise of $10-a-day child care on average, outlined in a bilateral agreement with Ottawa.

“There is an inequity across the province for access to daycare and these rates,” she said.

Education Minister Brendan Maguire has said the province will miss its $10-a-day deadline of March 31 and will need more money from the federal government to get there. 

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